MyVU Latest Headlines

Eleven of Vanderbilt University’s most promising recently tenured faculty have been awarded spots in the 2026 Chancellor Faculty Fellows program. This year’s recipients demonstrate exceptional and innovative scholarly achievement. “These scholars represent the next generation of academic leaders, advancing the bold ideas and transformative research that are strengthening Vanderbilt’s… Read More

Long evenings, outdoor concerts and community festivals make summer one of the best times to explore Nashville. Vanderbilt University is proud to partner with local nonprofits and cultural organizations to highlight events that welcome students, faculty, staff and the broader Nashville community. From live music in city parks to museum exhibitions and family-friendly celebrations, the season offers plenty of opportunities to experience the creativity that defines Music City. Read More

Members of the Vanderbilt community gathered at Hawkins Field on Tuesday, June 16, to celebrate the topping out of its new right-field structure. The addition will house private suites, premium seating, two new bars and a new player pitching lab for the stadium that opened in 2002.  Read More

Ellis Island Honors Society Chairman Nasser J. Kazeminy awarded Billy Hudson, director of the Vanderbilt Center for Matrix Biology and the Elliott V. Newman Professor of Medicine, with a 2026 Ellis Island Medal of Honor on May 16 at a black-tie gala. The Ellis Island Medals of Honor rank among the nation’s most renowned awards, officially recognized by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, with each year’s recipients listed in the Congressional Record. Read More

Anonymous donors have committed $25 million to build a bold new hub of innovation and discovery at Vanderbilt University—a multipurpose science facility that will shape the future of research and education on campus and beyond. Read More

The Vanderbilt rocket team captured its ninth payload design award and placed 2nd at the 2025-2026 University Student Launch Initiative competition conducted by the NASA Marshall Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Read More

The inaugural program invites students to develop real companies designed to solve real-world business challenges from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, NASA, IBM, Xtremis and EPB.  Read More

Vanderbilt University has named Elizabeth Zechmeister vice provost for graduate education and growth initiatives, dean of the Graduate School and the director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, effective July 1. Zechmeister succeeds C. André Christie-Mizell, whose five-year term as dean concludes June 30 after a period of devoted leadership and service to graduate education at Vanderbilt. Read More

In a groundbreaking study published recently in the journal Nature, researchers at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt Health have created the first growth charts for white matter in the brain over a human lifetime. The work brings together nearly two decades of Vanderbilt research collaborations, the university’s extensive MRI data collections, and an advanced AI-enabled computing platform. Read More

As an undergraduate, Marcia Fordyce-Steinfurth, BA’94, arrived in Nashville from Washington, D.C., eager to continue her education at another top-tier institution after attending Stone Ridge. At Vanderbilt, she connected with classmates from her hometown as well as peers from a wide range of backgrounds, all while immersing herself in a small-town Southern culture that was entirely new to her. Now, with a daughter at Vanderbilt, Marcia and her husband, P.R. Steinfurth, have witnessed firsthand how the university continues to help students access professional opportunities. Inspired in part by the lasting impact of Marcia’s undergraduate education, the Steinfurths knew they wanted to give back. Read More

In an age defined by information overload, viral narratives, and deepening political divides, Vanderbilt University’s McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies is positioning itself at the forefront of media literacy education. Read More

Tucker Biddlecombe, professor of music in Blair School of Music and associate dean of undergraduate education, will succeed Melissa Gresalfi, who has served since 2019 as dean of residential colleges and residential education and dean of The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons.  Read More

In a time marked by partisan divides and international conflicts, a new Vanderbilt University poll finds personal economic stress looms largest for Tennesseans. Anxiety over the cost of groceries, housing and monthly bills spans political parties and income levels. Deepening malaise about the cost of living is reflected by more than half of Tennesseans saying the country is headed in the wrong direction.  Read More

Vanderbilt University is expanding its commitment to academic, professional and personal growth for their students. Dialogue Vanderbilt, the university’s catalyst for better conversations, has announced the launch of the SPHERE Fellowship, a premier international program that embeds students in centers of global significance to practice the art of constructive, high-stakes dialogue. Read More

Lamar Alexander, BA’62, continues a six-decade journey on the path of public service, one that famously began with a thousand-mile trek across Tennessee in his signature red-and-black plaid shirt. However, for the Vanderbilt community, his legacy is rooted even deeper—stretching back to his days as an undergraduate, serving as editor of The Vanderbilt Hustler and a key student voice of support for racial integration at the university. Soon, a variety of activities led by the university will allow the broader community to learn more about his storied history and engage with the former Tennessee governor and U.S. senator. Read More

Anchored in community and powered by participation, this Giving Day was a powerful reminder of what our faculty, staff and students make possible together. Read More

In many ways, the stigma around mental health has started to soften in recent years, especially as more public figures speak out about their struggles and as more resources become available at Vanderbilt and beyond. But donors Diana Grant, BA’85, and Daniel Frey are committed to taking this progress even further. Read More

Vanderbilt University has appointed Kevin Galloway as the next faculty director of the Ingram Scholars Program, effective July 1. Galloway, the Evans Family Executive Director of the Wond’ry and a research associate professor of mechanical engineering, will succeed Kelly Goldsmith, who has served as faculty director since January 2024. Goldsmith will step down from the role at the conclusion of the academic year to expand her new role as associate provost for strategic initiatives in undergraduate education.  Read More

Vanderbilt students are turning ideas into impact through the T.H.R.I.V.E. Grant program, a Student Affairs Belonging and Communities initiative designed to support projects that build meaningful partnerships and create positive, lasting change at Vanderbilt and beyond. Read More